Way to go, Erin!

Erin Anderson, our youngest daughter and third year dental student at UNLV School of Dentistry, recently received a great award. Erin is quite the leader- she's the President of her school American Student Dental Association chapter, and was awarded her district "Delegate of the Year." Congrats to you, Erin!

Technology

Not only do I remember the movie “Back to the Future”, but my husband and I will be dressing in our best 1980s gear for a fun 5k run this Saturday. If our yellow lab would put on a Marty McFly jacket we would surely win the race. Technology has transformed my schooling in the past ten years. In college, laptops were rampant throughout the dorms, but rarely brought to class. Now in dental school we are issued the same laptop throughout the entire student body. All of my textbooks are available at the click of a mouse and I can fit multiple encyclopedias in my backpack. Most of our records are kept electronically. This has many advantages, but also various disadvantages. Often in clinic we see many students asking questions, back turned and facing a computer. The patient interaction becomes a necessity and being drawn away from the advancing technology is always needed.

I love a break from the high tech gadgets, but also cannot imagine being in dental school or everyday life without technology! 

Back to the Future

Do you remember the movie "Back to the Future" with Christopher Lloyd as the crazy time traveling Doc Brown?  Doc's friend, Marty McFly accidentally is transported back in time from the early 1980's to 1955. With the disturbance of the AT&T internet grid this past Monday evening, I felt as if I had ridden that flux capacitor back to 1980.  I don't mind a planned vacation from computer use; a camping trip without electronic connection is quite nice. This unplanned interuuption was unwelcome and annoying. I take so much for granted about the information superhighway the internet provides me, from finding a quick recipe for dinner, checking my bank statements, to playing a game of "Words with Friends."  And I heavily rely on internet searches in my duties as a dentist- the quick ability to check on potential drug interactions or email colleagues for second opinions is something I would miss greatly.

 

In my dental school years, I couldn't have imagined the high tech world of the computer and internet. We purchased large, heavy and expensive textbooks and took scrawling notes by hand in class. We relied on medical journals for information, with laborious searches to locate needed articles. Lectures were given with overhead projectors. I'm quite happy to be in 2013!

 

Driving down the road, part two

The scene is set for a disastarous winter trip- snow, ice, an old sports car, and two young foolish drivers. We were prepared with chains for the little MGB, and never really considered how silly we looked chaining up and then following semi-trucks over the mountain passes, our car bravely straddling the piled snow. As you must surmise, we arrived safely in Las Vegas to spend Christmas vacation. We probably gave little thought to any worries our parents may have shared about this drive.

Almost 30 years later, our daughters are now driving from far distances to visit us. They are good drivers with safe cars, fully equipped with air bags, good tires, and all wheel drive. Cell phones provide easy communication. Do they worry? Probably not too much. Do I fret about their arrival? Absolutely!

Driving down the road, Part 1

Paul is one of five children, and the only one of the Brosy clan who has moved out of Oregon. His family is truly remarkable-they all get along, every last sibling, child and cousin. The Tualatin homestead, a log cabin on the river, remains the gathering point for all holiday get togethers. I joke that Norman Rockwell could be painting our picture at any celebration, but it really is true that this is an ideal group, and I am so lucky to be included.

My birth family is much more complicated and crazy, with the exception of my sweet mother. We yell and fight, and often don't talk to one another for years just because someone forgot to shut a door, or told the wrong joke, or because it happens to be Wednesday. The only artists painting our family portrait would be Dali or Jackson Pollack.

Paul and I marry between our third and fourth years of dental school, and I am surrounded by a fabulous, loving group who wants to celebrate births, birthdays, Easters and St. Patrick's Days all together. This has been something I've always craved. So what do we do our very first married Christmas? When we only have a short semester break? When our only car is a very small, MGB convertible? When it is snowing fiercely over the Santiam Pass and roads are closed all over Northern California and Nevada? Why, drive to Las Vegas, of course, a good 900 miles away, but the home of my dear family.

To be continued...

No Fiscal Cliff in this student government!

Erin has been active in leadership roles since her days at Wooster High School. She is currently the President of the UNLV School of Dentistry ASDA (American Student Dental Association) chapter. Read more here  http://unlvasda.com/?page_id=15 and here http://prezi.com/x4rdipkm1bdb/why-you-should-join-asda/

Formative years

Why would anyone want to be a dentist ? This is a great question, and of course with all great questions there are usually many great and different answers.  My path began in those great formative years of early teens.  I was 13 when I started with braces. I was at an age that Mom could leave me alone at the orthodontist office, so she could chase after other siblings and chores.

I spent a bit of time at the orthodontist and began to think this might be a fun and rewarding job.  To be honest at the ripe old age of 13, what I really liked about the idea of dentistry were the hours and the chance to work with cute girls that seemed fun to be around.

In high school,  I took a few classes to prepare me for what lied ahead in the dental world, such as chemistry and biology. However, I wasn't completely yet sure this was the right path for me.  I joined the Navy at the age of 18 as a dental technician to explore this career path before committing eight years to college and dental school.  In the Navy, I learned  that I did have the skill set to do the dentistry and also the passion to help others improve their oral health.

To use a nautical term, I set sail on the journey of becoming a dentist. I can say that I am truly happy that I choose to become a dentist.